Archive for 'Localities'

This week we have already looked at Arezzo, a city of gold and a place in which goldsmithing has gone on from the Etruscans to the present day. Workshops of artisans still dot the medieval core of the city and thousands of jewellery and gold businesses operate throughout the surrounding area. Museums display incredible works from throughout history and shops sell the latest iterations to the magpies among those on vacation in Tuscany who are after rather more special and precious souvenirs. There is also a roaring trade in both jewellery and artisanal goods to appreciate if you have found a luxury villa in Florence, nearby. However, the birthplace of the Renaissance is, in its own right, one giant jewellery box full of incredible gems from architectural masterpieces to museums stuffed with incredible works of art to churches painted and gilded meticulously. And, among all of the stunning buildings and institutions filled with astounding things made by human hands, one of the lesser-known but most extraordinary has to be the Opificio delle Pietre Dure.

The Opificio delle Pietre Dure, literally meaning the Workshop of Semi-Precious Stones, is an institution run by the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage that is based on Via degli Alfani, not far from the Cathedral or the Galleria dell’Accademia, in the centre of Florence. In addition to the museum that most visitors head to, the building is also home to one of two Italian state-run conservation schools (the other being the Istituto Superiore per la Conservazione ed il Restauro), a specialist library, an archive, and a scientific laboratory in which research into the latest and best preventive and conservation techniques is undertaken. A global leader in the field of restoration, the institution is also home, as one might imagine, to a wonderful collection of well-preserved and incredible objects. 

Tuscany is an excellent destination for those who enjoy holidays full of excitement and activities with endless villas, churches, museums, galleries, vineyards, hiking routes, beaches, parks, gardens, restaurants, cooking schools, boutique shops, pretty town squares, ancient ruins, and much, much more besides to explore and enjoy. However, it is, equally, a perfect place to get away from it all, relax, and unwind. There is, of course, a different pace of life in Tuscany than what many find to be their norm, particularly in sleepy little towns with historic centres that seem almost untouched by the passage of time. Businesses still close for hours in the middle of the day while the owners take a break, few bother opening on Sundays at all unless you are in bigger towns, and meals regularly stretch over hours and are savoured. The picturesque scenery of the countryside and peace and space afforded by our villas in Tuscany, many of which are located in remote and quiet parts of the region, allow those travelling in the region to unplug and leave the stresses and concerns of daily life behind. Wholesome and hearty, the cuisine also further adds to one’s relaxation while on holiday in Tuscany as it is comforting and incredibly satisfying. 

As spring draws closer, many look forward to the blooming of flowers and, though it may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking of famous destinations to enjoy spring blooms, Tuscany is actually an ideal place for those who like to wander in gardens and enjoy the scents and colours of life being breathed back into the land once more. In fact, there are lots of truly spectacular gardens dotted all over the region, many of which are former pleasure grounds that were once part of the estates of the nobles who used their wealth to adorn the countryside, cities, churches, and museums of Tuscany with incredible buildings, flights of fancy, stunning works of art, and magical things made or tamed by human hands. There is the Giardino di Boboli with its astonishing arrangement of fountains, statuary from ancient Rome to the 18th century, nymphaea, temples, grottoes, and plants; Florence’s Rose Garden which was commissioned in 1865 as part of a plan to redevelop the city when it became Italy’s capital and which boasts astonishing views over Florence as well as a whopping 400 different species of roses; and the English-style garden and classic Italian-style garden filled with the scent of the lemons and a colourful riot of blooms ripened by the sun at the former Medici villa of Poggio a Caiano in Prato; to name but a handful of examples. However, if you are a planning a vacation in Tuscany this coming spring and you have a special fondness for camellia flowers, in particular, then you should make a point to head to the town and comune of Capannori in the province of Lucca...

Lonely Planet is a name that is long and well-associated with all things travel and a key touchstone that many turn to when planning trips and thinking about future holiday destinations. As such, people tend to sit up and listen to what they have to say when they produce their famous annual, “Best In Travel,” guide and use it for inspiration when looking ahead to their own upcoming adventures. In the recently published 2022 edition of the guide, they have once again named some of their key travel destinations for the coming year and there was one Italian city that made the cut this time around – Florence! We, of course, are already well familiar with the various attractions and appeals of a vacation in the city and offer some incredible luxury villas in Florence but it is good to be reminded once more just how brilliant Florence well and truly is.